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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: file · suit · mark · net · bowl · swing · rock · fork

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. mark — a trace
  3. net — after costs
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. file — a document
  7. mark — a grade
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. swing — in golf
  10. net — for catching
  11. swing — to play on
  12. rock — music
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. file — a tool
  16. file — a line of people
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. swing — music
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. rock — a stone

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com